Ryan Fitzpatrick must have been stunned to find out Tuesday that he had been cut by the Bills. / John Bazemore, AP

by Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY Sports

by Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY Sports

Guess the three-day, pre-market window of legalized tampering was just the ticket to ignite the market at the opening bell.

The flurry of moves on Day 1 was stunning. I don't recall the league's new year ever getting off the ground with such velocity, with so many transactions.

During the first five hours after the 4 p.m. ET kickoff, more than four dozen free agents had new contracts â?¦ and counting.

But it wasn't just the mad money -- we'll get to that -- that marked the event. Adding to the craziness was a Deadspin.com report revealing a secretly-recorded conversation between two NFL general managers -- Buffalo's Buddy Nix and Tampa Bay's Mark Dominik -- that could result in charges for the pranksters.

During the chat, Nix bemoaned his starting quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Naturally, on Tuesday, Fitzpatrick was cut -- which was probably going to occur anyway, with a new coach and $3 million roster bonus -- with the recording providing an ominous backdrop.

Another notable cut that was seen coming: Nnamdi Asomugha.

Two years ago, he was the prince of free agency. Asomugha signed a five-year, $60 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, leading off the talent haul that inspired Vince Young to dub them "The Dream Team."

Now Asomugha, who had a $15 million salary for 2013, is way too expensive for new coach Chip Kelly. So he's back on the just-opened market.

Asomugha's tumble shows just how fleeting the big money deals can be, and why NFL contracts come with an asterisk.

It has been a tough week for high-priced cornerbacks. The Redskins cut DeAngelo Hall on Monday, and the Vikings gave Antoine Winfield the boot on Tuesday.

They have something else in common. Hall and Winfield were among the three cornerbacks in the NFL during the 2012 season to tally at least 100 tackles, with St. Louis' Cortland Finnegan rounding out the short list.

To get 100 tackles as a corner is rare, vouching for the type of run support that Deion Sanders was never famous for. For years, I've considered Winfield, 5-9, 180, as the best pound-for-pound defender in football. But he's getting older. He's 35. And he carried a $7.25 million base salary for 2013. That made him expendable.

How much are they worth? Playing safety is a tough position for a cash grab in the offense-dominated NFL. It's even tougher when considering that nine safeties have been cut this offseason.

So rushing the passer is the ticket, right? Depends.

There is a collection of "name" defensive ends looking for work -- Dwight Freeney, Osi Umenyiora and John Abraham -- but it was a bit quiet for them on Day 1.

Former Steelers linebacker James Harrison is another intriguing case.

Reality checks work in mysterious ways. For Mike Wallace, that's a good thing. The Dolphins gave Wallace a guaranteed $30 million as part of a 5-year, $65 million package. The $13 million average tops the $11 million average that lured Vincent Jackson from San Diego to Tampa Bay on Day 1 of free agency last year.

Percy Harvin, meanwhile, got a 6-year, $67 million pact from his new employer, the Seattle Seahawks, the key thread attached to his trade from the Vikings.

Speed pays. Wallace can stretch the field and produce big plays. Ryan Tannehill will love heaving it deep. But imagine what kind of deal the Pittsburgh Steelers' former 9-route runner could have inspired if he also ran patterns over the middle?

That could be a great omen for Reggie Bush. His early reality check? He's the hottest free agent running back on the market, set to visit the Detroit Lions on Wednesday before possibly heading to a visit in Arizona.

Then again, mad money can change travel plans in a hurry.

Paul Kruger had a one-stop shopping spree, with great timing. To shift from the Baltimore Ravens to the Cleveland Browns, the outside linebacker will get $8 million a year.

Inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, meanwhile, got a $7 million per year package to leave Baltimore and head south to Miami.

Who's left to play linebacker for the Ravens? Ray Lewis is gone, too.

The Super Bowl champs have taken some serious body blows. They traded Anquan Boldin in a cap move, lost Kruger and Ellerbe. Maybe Reed, tackle Bryant McKinnie and cornerback Cary Williams are goners, too.

What a challenge for Ozzie Newsome, whose shrewd moves over the years earned him the moniker, "The Wizard." He's been here before. And undoubtedly learned from it.